The Adventure Of Learning
It was May 1994 in Mumbai, the season
of sweltering heat, warm summer sea-breeze and mangoes! I was at the magical
age of 20 when an arrogant surety in our youth makes us romanticize that the
world is at our feet. With college being closed for the summers, I cooled my heels at home and toyed with the idea of visiting my brother. He had just
got his commission as a young flying officer in the Indian Air Force and was
tossed to one end of the country somewhere in the corners of West Bengal. He
was so far out that the only way to communicate with him was to wait for him to call us every weekend. This was the time when we made trunk calls; a far cry from the mobile
phones of today!
Soon, the tickets were booked and I was on my way! Travelling to the far corners of this beautiful and incredible country of India is a challenge and an unforgettable adventure in itself. I boarded a flight from Mumbai to Kolkata. Once there, I hopped onto a regional jet which took me to the lovely hills of Baghdogra in the serene and peaceful district of Darjeeling. This was my first trip alone and away from the concrete jungle among the beautiful hills and fresh mountain air of West Bengal!
Soon, the tickets were booked and I was on my way! Travelling to the far corners of this beautiful and incredible country of India is a challenge and an unforgettable adventure in itself. I boarded a flight from Mumbai to Kolkata. Once there, I hopped onto a regional jet which took me to the lovely hills of Baghdogra in the serene and peaceful district of Darjeeling. This was my first trip alone and away from the concrete jungle among the beautiful hills and fresh mountain air of West Bengal!
After a great deal of excitement and high-pitched greetings
and hugs which marked my arrival, my brother and I loaded
ourselves and luggage on his scooter. My luggage behind me and I, with my backpack, rode pillion. We went to a friend's house
to stay the night. The next day we were to drive for four hours through the dense
forests and valleys of remote West Bengal to reach our destination. My
brother insisted on leaving early to reach home before dusk.
Needless to say, we lost track of time as we sat through the night catching up with the delightful couple
who was also from Mumbai. Any Mumbaikar who knows what it is to connect with a fellow Mumbaikar
away from Mumbai will understand the excitement which ensued.
The next day was
a mad rush of packing followed by a hurried brunch, thanks to a late rise-and- not so- shiny
routine. We strapped up on the two-wheeler, helmets on and ready to roll, four hours behind schedule. My brother was adept at this route and was sure we would comfortably reach our destination before dusk.
The afternoon sun felt like a fireball above us but the day was bright and clear. Heat and dust, the hallmark of Indian summers, surrounded us. The landscape was breathtaking, the wind in my hair and of course the occasional insect getting in my eye. The ride was a combination of smooth and bumpy stretches with sudden troughs and crests which passed off as speed breakers. The land was barren and on some stretches, we were actually riding on the dried river beds of the Brahmaputra tributaries. All this was immensely new and adventurous for me. Everything was going smooth and as per schedule. We checked our watches time and again. As we rode along, I found the landscape gradually changing from flat and barren expanses to the cool and shady comfort of the forest pathway. The tar road flanked by tall dense trees on either side, stretched in front of us making it seem like a passage through a green archway. Intermittent signs of civilisation at a distance gave me a sense of relief.
We were about two hours away and just as I was soaking in every bit of this thrilling ride, I heard a low sound of something bursting and my brother almost lost control of the scooter. “Damn!” I heard him swear.......a first for me. “Tyre puncture, don’t worry I can fix this in 10 minutes” he assured. He opened his toolkit and placed it out on the ground. Both of us squinting to find the right tool. He then scanned all the spanners only to find that the one we needed was missing! But he kept his cool. He kept assuring me that he would try all the tools and that we would be on our way soon. The sun was gradually setting behind the tall trees and dusk had announced its arrival as the sky put on a heavenly show of layered hues of pink, purple and orange. Birds flew in a pattern in groups and gathered on trees, settling into the night. Slowly, tiny lights twinkled at far off hamlets like stars appearing at twilight.
An hour passed by with no respite. This was the first time I saw a look of concern in my brother’s eyes. We looked for help but to no avail. It was getting darker and we had two more hours of driving time. Then, just as we started to lose hope we were spotted by our man Friday who rode on a similar scooter. He stopped, cheerfully assured us of help, pulled out his tool kit and after a quick routine of wheel change and vigorous handshakes, he bid us adieu and disappeared into the night!! Just like that!! With profound gratitude in our hearts, we continued on our journey.
By this time, it was dark and we were driving like the wind. All along my brother kept raising his helmet visor, asking me if I was okay. My assurances kept him going. The scooter’s headlight was the only source of hope in the surrounding darkness. From here on, all I could see was dark space around me. Riding through the forest, which I was told had rich wildlife, (what??!!) it truly amazed me how my brother followed the path with such confidence and determination in the darkness. He knew every twist to avoid and every turn to take. I was completely awestruck and terrified at the same time; hoping no wild beast decided to greet us en route. In all the darkness around me, I saw my brother in a completely new light. Strong, brave and confident. Only later, did he tell me how scared and petrified he was during this last stretch of the journey. We kept going on with not a word exchanged between us other than an occasional “Are you okay?” from him and an “all okay!” from me. All we could hear was the sound of the scooter piercing the silence of the night.
After what felt like an eternity, a quick turn, suddenly without warning, I found myself going through a gate with the Armed Forces emblem on it. It was like a sudden revelation in the darkness! One moment we were in the depths of darkness and the next moment I could see well-manicured gardens on either side of the pathway. Fireflies everywhere seemed like dim romantic lights lining the main street going towards the officers’ living quarters. The air was thick with the sweet and intoxicating fragrances from the flowers and the smell of grass brought back childhood memories!
As we turned into the driveway of our friend’s house, there was a sudden rush of friendly faces with mixed expressions of concern and relief. Some of the senior officers were almost ready to go on a search mission for us. Others screamed out with joy as they saw us and still others ambushed my brother in decorated language on his foolishness to even think of riding the dangerous crime-ridden route with me, on a scooter, with no escorts and at night. If only they knew! I got off the scooter and found a small rock by the wayside. I sat on it and watched the friendly banter of concern and excitement around me. Soon someone noticed that I was not given the traditional welcome and everyone’s attention turned towards me. We went into the comfort of the host’s home. Inside, under the bright lights, I looked like a train wreck! Eventually, the evening was lovely with full of cheer, delicious food and wonderful conversation. As any other 20 year-old girl would, I basked in all the attention I received.
The afternoon sun felt like a fireball above us but the day was bright and clear. Heat and dust, the hallmark of Indian summers, surrounded us. The landscape was breathtaking, the wind in my hair and of course the occasional insect getting in my eye. The ride was a combination of smooth and bumpy stretches with sudden troughs and crests which passed off as speed breakers. The land was barren and on some stretches, we were actually riding on the dried river beds of the Brahmaputra tributaries. All this was immensely new and adventurous for me. Everything was going smooth and as per schedule. We checked our watches time and again. As we rode along, I found the landscape gradually changing from flat and barren expanses to the cool and shady comfort of the forest pathway. The tar road flanked by tall dense trees on either side, stretched in front of us making it seem like a passage through a green archway. Intermittent signs of civilisation at a distance gave me a sense of relief.
We were about two hours away and just as I was soaking in every bit of this thrilling ride, I heard a low sound of something bursting and my brother almost lost control of the scooter. “Damn!” I heard him swear.......a first for me. “Tyre puncture, don’t worry I can fix this in 10 minutes” he assured. He opened his toolkit and placed it out on the ground. Both of us squinting to find the right tool. He then scanned all the spanners only to find that the one we needed was missing! But he kept his cool. He kept assuring me that he would try all the tools and that we would be on our way soon. The sun was gradually setting behind the tall trees and dusk had announced its arrival as the sky put on a heavenly show of layered hues of pink, purple and orange. Birds flew in a pattern in groups and gathered on trees, settling into the night. Slowly, tiny lights twinkled at far off hamlets like stars appearing at twilight.
An hour passed by with no respite. This was the first time I saw a look of concern in my brother’s eyes. We looked for help but to no avail. It was getting darker and we had two more hours of driving time. Then, just as we started to lose hope we were spotted by our man Friday who rode on a similar scooter. He stopped, cheerfully assured us of help, pulled out his tool kit and after a quick routine of wheel change and vigorous handshakes, he bid us adieu and disappeared into the night!! Just like that!! With profound gratitude in our hearts, we continued on our journey.
By this time, it was dark and we were driving like the wind. All along my brother kept raising his helmet visor, asking me if I was okay. My assurances kept him going. The scooter’s headlight was the only source of hope in the surrounding darkness. From here on, all I could see was dark space around me. Riding through the forest, which I was told had rich wildlife, (what??!!) it truly amazed me how my brother followed the path with such confidence and determination in the darkness. He knew every twist to avoid and every turn to take. I was completely awestruck and terrified at the same time; hoping no wild beast decided to greet us en route. In all the darkness around me, I saw my brother in a completely new light. Strong, brave and confident. Only later, did he tell me how scared and petrified he was during this last stretch of the journey. We kept going on with not a word exchanged between us other than an occasional “Are you okay?” from him and an “all okay!” from me. All we could hear was the sound of the scooter piercing the silence of the night.
After what felt like an eternity, a quick turn, suddenly without warning, I found myself going through a gate with the Armed Forces emblem on it. It was like a sudden revelation in the darkness! One moment we were in the depths of darkness and the next moment I could see well-manicured gardens on either side of the pathway. Fireflies everywhere seemed like dim romantic lights lining the main street going towards the officers’ living quarters. The air was thick with the sweet and intoxicating fragrances from the flowers and the smell of grass brought back childhood memories!
As we turned into the driveway of our friend’s house, there was a sudden rush of friendly faces with mixed expressions of concern and relief. Some of the senior officers were almost ready to go on a search mission for us. Others screamed out with joy as they saw us and still others ambushed my brother in decorated language on his foolishness to even think of riding the dangerous crime-ridden route with me, on a scooter, with no escorts and at night. If only they knew! I got off the scooter and found a small rock by the wayside. I sat on it and watched the friendly banter of concern and excitement around me. Soon someone noticed that I was not given the traditional welcome and everyone’s attention turned towards me. We went into the comfort of the host’s home. Inside, under the bright lights, I looked like a train wreck! Eventually, the evening was lovely with full of cheer, delicious food and wonderful conversation. As any other 20 year-old girl would, I basked in all the attention I received.
Somewhere, amid all the
guffaws and cheerful chatter that filled the room, my brother caught my eye and
we shared a knowing smile which was a heartwarming mix of a sense of achievement
and relief. Both of us had a newfound confidence in ourselves and in each other.
As years rolled by and life’s ups and
downs faded my innocence and threatened to dent my confidence, my brother always reminded me of that
adventurous ride we took, of how strong I was, of how amazed he was at my
courage and self-confidence without which he would not have been able to make
it home. Sometimes it takes just one experience and that someone in our lives,
to remind us about our inner strength and self-belief, to get our
bearings back on this ride called Life! Truly there can be no learning without
the element of adventure!
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